President Nikos Christodoulides said on Saturday that the strategy pursued by Cyprus has succeeded in bringing renewed international attention to the Cyprus issue, following a meeting in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The meeting, held at the Maximos Mansion, focused on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, regional security, and preparations for the upcoming visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Cyprus.
Welcoming President Christodoulides, Prime Minister Mitsotakis thanked him for visiting Athens and stressed the importance of close coordination at what he described as a particularly critical time.
He also highlighted the growing threat posed by devastating wildfires across Europe, noting that Greece has deployed two firefighting aircraft to assist Spain in tackling major blazes near Madrid.
Referring to regional tensions, Mitsotakis warned that renewed conflict in the wider region could also affect the Red Sea, making cooperation between Greece and Cyprus more important than ever.
Turning to the Cyprus issue, he reaffirmed Greece’s full support for President Christodoulides’ efforts to restart negotiations within the framework of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
“After almost 20 years, the UN Secretary-General will visit Cyprus next week. We fully support your initiatives for a meaningful resumption of talks and Greece will continue to stand firmly by Cyprus,” Mitsotakis said.
President Christodoulides described the current period as a critical moment for the Cyprus issue, saying the government’s strategy and political will had generated significant international momentum.
“After many years, we are witnessing renewed international interest in the Cyprus issue. The UN Secretary-General will arrive in Cyprus on Monday evening, while the European Union has also shown increased engagement through our joint initiatives,” he said.
He added that it is now widely recognised that the Cyprus issue is a European issue, pointing to the appointment of the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President as a clear indication of the EU’s commitment.
Christodoulides thanked Mitsotakis for the meeting and said both governments remain committed to achieving positive outcomes from Guterres’ visit, with the aim of creating the conditions necessary for negotiations to resume from where they ended in 2017.
Following their private meeting, the two leaders held expanded talks with members of their respective government delegations.
Also read: President Christodoulides to meet Mitsotakis in Athens ahead of Guterres visit
